(Untitled)

[fallen_april]

At some point this morning, a little six-year-old sneaks out of the infirmary, where she decided to sleep last nightShe's in the same outfit as yesterday, and her hair could use a good brushing and being pulled back again, but she's cheerfully sitting on a barstool eating chocolate chip pancakes and drinking chocolate milk

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[youalleverybody]

Megan is sitting on Liam's knee, a little further down the Bar, but starts trying to wriggle down as soon as she spots the older girl. And her chocolate pancakes.

Since it's not far, and he can keep an eye on her the whole time, Liam sets her down and lets her go over.

[fallen_april]

Rilla catches sight of Megan and brightens considerably. She hasn't seen any other kids so far, and while she's met a lot of nice and fun grown-ups, they're still grown-ups. Except for Toki and Miniver - they're just friends.

"H'lo," she says around a mouthful of pancake. Then she swallows. Bad manners. "Hello."

[youalleverybody]

"Hi!" Megan chirps back. "I Megan."

Liam taught her to introduce herself, but she's not quite up to grammar yet.

[fallen_april]

Rilla has something to feel grown-up about, then. Other than the age difference.

"I'm Princess Sarah Marilla Lucy Pevensie Blythe. You can call me Rilla. And I'm six and three quarters years old." She's so proud of the 'three quarters' - Mr. Adrian taught her how to count quarters yesterday.

[youalleverybody]

"Rilla", Megan repeats dutifully and carefully. "I... three."

She looks proud of herself.

[fallen_april]

"You're pretty little. But that's okay. Do you want to share my pancakes?"

It's a generous gesture, and she's proud of herself for being so nice to the little kid.

[youalleverybody]

Megan beams. But she totally wasn't angling for pancakes all along, of course.

"'s please!"

[fallen_april]

Rilla is smart enough to realize that getting a three-year-old onto the barstool is going to be difficult without a grown-up, so she slips off hers and gets up on tiptoes to slide her plate off. "Okay, we'll go to a table, 'cause it's shorter," she says, leading the way.

A waitrat follows with an extra fork - the kiddie kind - for Megan.

[youalleverybody]

"'kay", Megan agrees equably, following her. She's been told not to talk to strangers, but surely another kid can't count?

Liam's watching them, anyway. Just in case.

[fallen_april]

April puts down the plate, then trots back to where she was sitting to retrieve a rather heavy bag full of books.

She's not risking losing these.

"Do you need it cut up for you?" she asks sweetly. She can use a knife, so it's okay if Megan does.

She's good with kids even when she is one. Go figure.

[youalleverybody]

Megan eyes the pancake dubiously, fork clutched in one little fist, then nods.

She doesn't want to make a mess and waste any!

[fallen_april]

"That's okay, I did too when I was three." Not that she actually remembers it. She carefully cuts her remaining pancake into pieces. When she's done, she grins brightly.

"There, now we can share it!" And sharing's fun! Rilla doesn't have anyone to share with usually.

[youalleverybody]

"Yay!" is the cheerful answer, as Megan spikes a piece on her fork.

Just one piece. It's still Rilla's pancake, after all, and she's old enough to understand that. Just.

[fallen_april]

"You can have as much as you want," April says magnanimously. "I can get more if I'm still hungry. And I already had one."

[youalleverybody]

The smile she gets at that could light up the room.

[fallen_april]

Rilla giggles.

"Are you here with your mommy and daddy or are you here by yourself? I'm here by myself, I got here from my closet."

Yummy pancakes.